Antenna Coils
Coil design and construction for antennas
Coils are fundamental components in many antenna projects, especially for operators working on the lower HF bands or with physically short antennas. These inductors are essential for electrically lengthening antennas, allowing them to resonate on specific frequencies despite their compact size. Hams often homebrew various types of coils, from loading coils for verticals and dipoles to RF chokes that help mitigate common mode current and RFI issues at the station.
Many resources here provide practical coil winding tips, covering techniques for building high-Q inductors and matching coils for various antenna designs. Operators can find guidance on constructing coils for specific bands like 160 meters or 75 meters, often using common materials like PVC tubing. There are also antenna loading coil calculation tools, such as Coil Designer, to help hams determine the correct inductance values for their antenna projects and ensure proper impedance matching for efficient QSOs.
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The calculation refers to either a loaded 1/4 wave or a loaded dipole, -
This page explains how to construct high-Q inductor coils. -
Building coils for a portable dipole using a novel method of winding coils with weedeater cord! By K4MMG -
This page describes the loading coil (inductor) that W8WWV built for my center-loaded 160 meter band (1.83 MHz) vertical antenna. -
This page lets you do calculations for single layer air cored coils using the solenoid formula -
Tips on winding wire coils used as inductive loads, traps, band-pass filters, are implemented in a number of amateur radio projects especially antenna projects -
About experiments and measurements on loading coils using net standing wave current -
How to make a loading coil for the AD5X portable vertical antenna -
Understanding current in loading coils -
Pictures of loading coils according to OK1FIG -
There is a specific procedure which must be followed if proper adjustment of a shunt matching coil is to be achieved. -
In this article K3DAV show a very simple way to make an RF choke coil that will remove your RF feedback troubles -
Coil winding on 4 inch PVC tubing with home-made tooling. -
A page dedicated to antenna coil home brewing and coil design by VE6WZ -
Comment on W5DXP 2011 coil measurement experiment -
Coil Q Measurements - With a special focus on wet coils. -
An interesting article on loading short vertical monopole antennas, representing six different methods. Base loading, Center Loading, Top Loading, Continuous loading, half and half loading and capacitive top loading. -
Make your own loading coils for antenna projects using Caterpillar Grommet strips. -
75m Mobile Texas Bugcatcher Loading Coil Measurements -
Skin effect and proximity effect on making coils with stranded wire. An interesting comparison on making coils.